1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus for holding a paint can on a ladder. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus having an elongated handle connected to a bucket holder.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. Sections 1.97-1.99
Interior and exterior painting often requires the use of a ladder. Holding paint and painting tools while working on a ladder has always been a problem.
One solution is to provide a shelf on a step ladder. Step ladders, however, cannot be used in many situations because their A-frame construction often requires more space than is available and they are usefull only for relatively low heights.
Efforts to provide convenient storage of paint and paint tools with a rung-type ladder have included the simple expedient of hanging a pail can from the bale by a hook or wire that is suspended from a ladder rung. This allows the paint can to sway easily in response to wind or simply the force of wiping the brush against the inside rim of the paint can to remove excess paint. The paint can hangs behind the ladder, making access to it awkward.
Another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,957, issued to Lunden, Jr. on Mar. 15, 1994, which discloses a rod bent into a circle and having a wire loop handle attached. The wire loop handle is slipped into the hollow rung of a tubular ladder rung. This device requires that a tapered paint bucket be used, requiring the transfer of paint from a paint can to the tapered bucket. Lunden, Jr. '957 also holds the paint can at a decided downward tilt. Finally, the elasticity of the wire handle allows the paint can to sway up and down in response to various forces, including the weight of the paint in the tapered pail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,25, issued to McGraw on May 31, 1994 discloses a bar threaded on both ends that is passed through a tubular rung and includes a hoop bracket screwed onto both end of the bar. A paint can is set into each hoop. This device is supposed to be self-leveling, that is, the painter must use equal amounts of paint from each can at about the same rate to keep the cans horizontal. This device is very awkward to set up. It requires the painter either to paint with two hands, which few painters care to do, or to reach across his body to reach the paint can on his off-hand side. This is awkward, uncomfortable and can be dangerous, as the painter must lean his body backward away from the ladder in order to pass his painting hand and the brush between his body and the ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,682, issued to Martin on Jul. 22, 1997, discloses a band that encircles a paint can and extends outwardly to form a handle that is slipped into a hollow ladder rung. This design requires the painter to tighten a wing nut to retain the can within the band. This device cannot hold the paint can horizontally and requires extra effort to secure the paint can. Further the device can be used only with one size of paint can. Further, none of these devices allows for storage of any tools, such as scrappers, paint brushes, rags, screwdrivers and so forth.
Therefore, there is a need for a paint can holder for use with a ladder having tubular rungs that holds a paint can steady in a more or less vertical orientation; that can be used with different sizes of standard paint cans; and that can hold a variety of small tools.